Security & Safety Briefs — August 17 - August 23
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The Latest Headlines:
- Nuclear Attack on Port of Long Beach Could Kill 60,000, Study Says
- Canadian Cattle Industry Healthier One Year After U.S. Lifts Ban
- Automakers Must Inform Owners of Vehicle Black Boxes
- Authorities Seek Suspect in Indiana Highway Shootings
- More Problems Found at Big Dig
- Canadian Cattle Industry Healthier One Year After U.S. Lifts Ban
Nuclear Attack on Port of Long Beach Could Kill 60,000, Study Says
A study conducted by the Rand Corp. finds that a nuclear attack on the port of Long Beach could kill 60,000 people, the Associated Press reported last Wednesday.In addition to the casualties cause by the initial strike, an attack could irradiate 150,000 people and create economic losses 10 times greater than those resulting from the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, AP said.
In addition to the death toll, a blast could destroy critical portions of the port’s infrastructure, as well as every ship docked at Long Beach.
Nearby oil refineries, which provide one third of the fuel west of the Rocky Mountains, could also be destroyed in a nuclear attack, creating severe shortages. Transport Topics
Canadian Cattle Industry Healthier One Year After U.S. Lifts Ban
After reaching record high numbers following a U.S. ban on Canadian live cattle last summer, Canadian herds have recorded their first decline in size in seven years, Can West News Service reported last Thursday.As of July 1, Canadian cattlemen counted 16.2 million head, down about 5% from last year’s record 17.1 million.
The United States promptly restricted exports of live cattle from Canada in 2003 after the discovery of an incident of mad cow disease.
With the ban lifted, business for carriers that haul beef could increase. Transport Topics
Automakers Must Inform Owners of Vehicle Black Boxes
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said auto manufacturers will be required to inform owners if their vehicle contains black box event recording technology, the Associated Press reported Monday.The new regulation will take effect beginning with 2011 model year vehicles, AP said.
About 64% of 2005 model year vehicles contain black boxes, which can be used to monitor vehicle data in the moments leading up to a crash, according to AP.
General Motors and Ford, the two largest automakers in the United States, currently install the technology on almost all of their new vehicles, AP reported. Transport Topics
Authorities Seek Suspect in Indiana Highway Shootings
Indiana authorities are pursuing a suspect they believe may be responsible for a series of highway shootings along Indiana 912, the Associated Press reported Saturday.Authorities believe they have a description of the suspect and a vehicle being driven at the scene, AP said.
Since July 25, there have been 13 shootings along a five-mile stretch of Indiana 912.
According to AP, the absence of bullets or shell casings at the scenes of the shootings has prompted speculation that the attacker may have used a pellet gun.
Meanwhile, AP reported Tuesday that a shooter fired two bullets at a commuter train in Gary, Ind.
Authorities believe the attack on the train may be linked to the highway shootings, AP said. Transport Topics
More Problems Found at Big Dig
Transportation officials in Massachusetts say inspectors at the Big Dig have discovered problems with more than 3,000 steel brackets used to support ceiling panels in the project’s I-90 ramps and tunnels, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.John Carlisle, spokesman for the executive office of transportation, said the brackets will have to be modified in order to support three times the weight of the ceiling panels they support, AP said.
Currently, the brackets can only support twice the weight of the tunnel’s ceiling panels.
In early August, officials reopened portions of the tunnel that had been closed following a collapse in July that investigators believe was linked to a bolt-and-epoxy system used to secure ceiling panels. (Click here for previous coverage.) Transport Topics
